Dana Kleinhesselink

Title: Director of Development & Communications

Department: Development & Communications

Bio: Dana Kleinhesselink is the Director of Development & Communications at The Unity Council. In her role, Dana oversees the strategic fundraising goals for the organization, raising more than $5M each year from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government. She also manages the marketing and community engagement plans to raise awareness for the organization and amplify the voice of its constituents. A skilled project manager, Dana executes numerous events throughout the year including the annual Fruitvale Dia de los Muertos Festival which brings over 50,000 people to the Fruitvale neighborhood, supports local artists with over $25,000 in mini-grants and stipends, and raises over $175,000 for the organization and the Festival. Dana is bilingual in English & Spanish and is passionate about investing in communities that have been excluded from the Bay Area’s rising wealth and opportunity. Ms. Kleinhesselink has a B.A. in Rhetoric & Media Studies from Willamette University. She was a student of the School for International Training in Oaxaca, Mexico, where she studied Grassroots Development & Social Change.

The Unity Council (officially known as the Spanish Speaking Unity Council) envisions a joyful, united, and engaged community where people have the power to shape their lives. Founded in 1964 as a nonprofit community development organization committed to enriching the quality of life primarily in the Fruitvale District of Oakland, its Mission is to promote social equity and improve quality of life by building vibrant communities where everyone can work, learn and thrive.